DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Saturday, December 29, 2012
GOVERNOR O’MALLEY APPOINTS KEVIN HUGHES CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Martin O’Malley announced the appointment of Commissioner W. Kevin Hughes as chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission. He has served as a commissioner since 2011. Commissioner Hughes' designation as chairman follows Governor O'Malley's announcement that current Chairman Douglas R.M. Nazarian has been appointed to the Court of Special Appeals.
“Commissioner Hughes’ tenure on the Public Service Commission has been exemplary,” said Governor O’Malley. “He has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the interests of ratepayers while also balancing the needs of utilities and ensuring that Marylanders have access to clean, affordable energy. Commissioner Hughes also understands that the State of Maryland must be an active participant in regional and federal decisions that affect our energy markets.”
Prior to his appointment to the Public Service Commission, Commissioner Hughes served as deputy legislative officer to Governor O’Malley and Governor Parris Glendening, where he gained expertise in energy policy, transportation, K-12 and higher education, and state and local taxation. Earlier in his career, he served as principal analyst for the Maryland Department of Legislative Services and as legislative officer under Governor William Donald Schaefer. Commissioner Hughes graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1994, earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 1985, and obtained a B.A. degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park.
“Commissioner Hughes’ tenure on the Public Service Commission has been exemplary,” said Governor O’Malley. “He has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the interests of ratepayers while also balancing the needs of utilities and ensuring that Marylanders have access to clean, affordable energy. Commissioner Hughes also understands that the State of Maryland must be an active participant in regional and federal decisions that affect our energy markets.”
Prior to his appointment to the Public Service Commission, Commissioner Hughes served as deputy legislative officer to Governor O’Malley and Governor Parris Glendening, where he gained expertise in energy policy, transportation, K-12 and higher education, and state and local taxation. Earlier in his career, he served as principal analyst for the Maryland Department of Legislative Services and as legislative officer under Governor William Donald Schaefer. Commissioner Hughes graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1994, earned a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 1985, and obtained a B.A. degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Former President George H.W. Bush Out Of Intensive Care
"President Bush's condition has improved, so he has been moved today from the intensive care unit to a regular patient room at The Methodist Hospital to continue his recovery," his office said in a statement distributed by spokesman Jim McGrath.
Bush was moved to the intensive care unit last Sunday as doctors worked to control "a stubborn fever," McGrath said at the time. He was listed at the time in guarded condition.
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Formal Reprimand Issued To Flatulent Federal Worker
In a December 10 letter accusing him of “conduct unbecoming a federal officer,” the Social Security Administration employee was informed that his “uncontrollable flatulence” had created an “intolerable” and “hostile” environment for coworkers, several of whom have lodged complaints with supervisors.
The worker, a 38-year-old Maryland resident, reportedly provided evidence that he suffered from “some medical conditions” that, at times, caused him to be unable to work full days. But a SSA manager noted in the reprimand letter that, “nothing that you have submitted has indicated that you would have uncontrollable flatulence. It is my belief that you can control this condition.”
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2 Rocket Launchers Turned In During LAPD Gun Buyback
The department says it picked up 75 assault weapons as part of its no-questions-asked effort that saw $100 dollar cards handed out for handguns and long guns and $200 for the kind of rifle used in the Newtown tragedy. The LAPD says 901 handguns, 698 rifles, 363 shotguns will also be destroyed.
Good stats. But this is the one that got us saying WTF:
Cops picked up two -- count 'em two -- rocket launchers (!) (and not one, as other outlets are reporting), an LAPD official with close knowledge of the program told us. Holy hell why do people on our streets have military grade rocket launchers?
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'Jobless Workers' Getting More Taxpayer Money to Pay Their Health Insurance Premiums
The U.S. Labor Department has rustled up more taxpayer money to help "jobless workers" pay their health insurance premiums.
"It is difficult enough to find new employment, let alone do so without health insurance for you or your family," Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said in a news release dated Dec. 26. "This funding will help eligible workers avoid that prospect by helping them pay for health insurance while they seek new jobs."
The money -- in the form of a $1,058,254 National Emergency Grant supplement -- will go to several thousand unemployed people in Alabama, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia.
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"It is difficult enough to find new employment, let alone do so without health insurance for you or your family," Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said in a news release dated Dec. 26. "This funding will help eligible workers avoid that prospect by helping them pay for health insurance while they seek new jobs."
The money -- in the form of a $1,058,254 National Emergency Grant supplement -- will go to several thousand unemployed people in Alabama, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia.
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Mexico Urges US Court To Block Part Of Arizona Law
The Mexican government has urged a U.S. court to stop Arizona from enforcing a minor section of the state's 2010 immigration law that prohibits the harboring of illegal immigrants.
Lawyers representing Mexico asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a filing Wednesday to uphold a lower-court ruling that blocked police from enforcing the ban. Mexico argued the ban harms diplomatic relations between the United States, undermines the U.S.'s ability to speak to a foreign country with one voice and encourages the marginalization of Mexicans and people who appear to be from Latin America.
"Mexico cannot conduct effective negotiations with the United States when the foreign policy decisions of the federal governments are undermined by the individual policies of individual states," lawyers for the Mexican government said in a friend-of-the-court brief.
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Lawyers representing Mexico asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a filing Wednesday to uphold a lower-court ruling that blocked police from enforcing the ban. Mexico argued the ban harms diplomatic relations between the United States, undermines the U.S.'s ability to speak to a foreign country with one voice and encourages the marginalization of Mexicans and people who appear to be from Latin America.
"Mexico cannot conduct effective negotiations with the United States when the foreign policy decisions of the federal governments are undermined by the individual policies of individual states," lawyers for the Mexican government said in a friend-of-the-court brief.
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Annual Beach Walk To Honor Trust Founders
ASSATEAGUE- One of the highlights of the start of a new year, the annual Ilia Fehrer-Judy Johnson Memorial Beach Walk on Assateague Island, will be held again on New Year’s Day at 1 p.m..
The Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) next Tuesday will host its 33rd Annual Ilia Fehrer-Judy Johnson Beach Walk honoring the individuals who founded the organization over three decades ago with an entertaining guided tour of the barrier island. The theme for this year’s annual walk is “It’s New Year’s Day Everyday on Assateague,” and celebrates the renewal feel when they come to the barrier island at any time of the year, but especially at the beginning of a new year.
The annual Beach Walk will be hosted this year by Ranger Liz Davis, the Assistant Chief of Interpretation and Education at the Assateague Island National Seashore. After starting a career as a first-grade teacher, Davis worked on Assateague one summer and never left. She has since worked for the National Park Service for the last 22 years, all of which were spent on Assateague.
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The Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) next Tuesday will host its 33rd Annual Ilia Fehrer-Judy Johnson Beach Walk honoring the individuals who founded the organization over three decades ago with an entertaining guided tour of the barrier island. The theme for this year’s annual walk is “It’s New Year’s Day Everyday on Assateague,” and celebrates the renewal feel when they come to the barrier island at any time of the year, but especially at the beginning of a new year.
The annual Beach Walk will be hosted this year by Ranger Liz Davis, the Assistant Chief of Interpretation and Education at the Assateague Island National Seashore. After starting a career as a first-grade teacher, Davis worked on Assateague one summer and never left. She has since worked for the National Park Service for the last 22 years, all of which were spent on Assateague.
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The Bill of Rights Is Not Negotiable
There is a destructive, delusional meme spreading like a virus among many misguided Americans. It pushes the idea that government can pick and choose which rights codified in the Bill of Rights it wishes to recognize or discard on any given day.
This delusion is predicated on the concept that if a popular majority can be emotionally whipped into a frenzy over one particular right, then that right can simply be discarded and stricken from the Bill of Rights.
But no such power exists to discard any portion of the Bill of Rights, at least not without proper ratification by three-fourths of the fifty states. There is no such power found solely in the federal government. There is no such power placed solely in the executive branch, nor in Congress, nor in the White House.
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This delusion is predicated on the concept that if a popular majority can be emotionally whipped into a frenzy over one particular right, then that right can simply be discarded and stricken from the Bill of Rights.
But no such power exists to discard any portion of the Bill of Rights, at least not without proper ratification by three-fourths of the fifty states. There is no such power found solely in the federal government. There is no such power placed solely in the executive branch, nor in Congress, nor in the White House.
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OBAMA: I RAN SO I COULD HAVE 'MEN WITH GUNS' AROUND MY DAUGHTERS
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The interview was the first that the President and First Lady have given since Obama's re-election in November. It aired on Nightline on December 26.
In its published highlights, ABC News has drawn attention to the Obamas' comments about keeping the romance alive in their marriage, yet those remarks were followed by this exchange:
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Murder by Numbers
Actually, now would seem to be a very bad time for such action. The reason is simple: the murder rate is historically low and is already trending downward. In fact, the murder rate in 2011 was the lowest since 1961: 4.7 murders per 100,000 people. In only 5 years since 1910 has it been lower: 1955-59, when it was only slightly lower at 4.5 or 4.6.
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GOP 'Rock Star' Named 'Woman Of The Year'
Bachmann is a gutsy, pro-life fiscal conservative who dared to vote against raising the debt ceiling. She’s a God-fearing, gun-loving advocate of tax cuts and domestic oil drilling – and has proven to be one of Obamacare’s worst nightmares.
Born in Waterloo, Iowa, to Norwegian immigrants, Bachmann grew up in a Democrat family, but became a Republican in college. Bachmann, now a four-term congresswoman and chairwoman of the Tea Party Caucus, began her political career in 2000 upon winning a seat in the Minnesota state Senate. From there, she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.
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Arizona Ranchers Demand Security At The Border
He wants to show them the disturbing discovery he made earlier in the day: a drug-smugglers' camp on his private property. Stacked together under a stand of trees are blankets, jackets, food, water, binoculars and bales of marijuana from Mexico wrapped in burlap. The smugglers, themselves, are nowhere in sight and are believed to have fled the area, which is about 10 miles north of the Mexican border.
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Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf’s Best Quotes
America loves a tough, no-nonsense general with a few stars on his collar and patriotic and wise battle talk coming from his mouth. Such was the case with Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who became a legend after leading American and coalition forces to victory in the Persian Gulf War. The 78-year-old retired member of the military’s top brass was known for his inspiring quips and one-liners and his bluntly expressed opinions. We round up some of the most pithy comments from the general, who died Thursday of complications of pneumonia.
“War is a profane thing.”
“The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it.”
“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.”
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”More
'Very Few' DC Hotels Sold Out, Some Dropping Prices...
With second inaugurations tending to draw fewer spectators, finding a place to stay in Washington won’t be nearly as difficult as in 2009.
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Troopers Investigate Crash Involving A Train On Old Porter Road, Bear
Location:
Old Porter Road at Porter Road, Bear, DE
Date of Occurrence:
Saturday, December 29, 2012, at 3:16 a.m.
Operator/Vehicle:
Operator 1: Derrick Jones, 33, of Washington, D.C. (transported to Christiana Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries)
Vehicle 1: 1994 Ford pickup truck
Resume
Bear- Troopers are investigating an early morning crash on where a vehicle struck a train.
The incident occurred at 3:16 a.m. when a 1994 Ford pickup truck operated by Derrick Jones, 33, of Washington, D.C. turned onto Old Porter Road from Porter Road. The vehicle struck a Norfolk Southern train traveling south on the railroad tracks crossing Old Porter Road, and became lodged under a tank of liquefied petroleum gas. Lodged under the tank, the vehicle traveled south with the train until the train stopped in the area of Wrangle Hill Road (St. Rt. 72).
Jones was transported to Christiana Hospital by State Police helicopter and admitted with non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger in his vehicle was transported to Christiana Hospital by ambulance for treatment for minor injuries. It is not known if Jones and the passenger were properly restrained at the time of the crash.
Jones was charged with driving a vehicle under the under the influence of alcohol, careless driving, disregarding a traffic control device, and expired tags.
Old Porter Road at Porter Road, Bear, DE
Date of Occurrence:
Saturday, December 29, 2012, at 3:16 a.m.
Operator/Vehicle:
Operator 1: Derrick Jones, 33, of Washington, D.C. (transported to Christiana Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries)
Vehicle 1: 1994 Ford pickup truck
Resume
Bear- Troopers are investigating an early morning crash on where a vehicle struck a train.
The incident occurred at 3:16 a.m. when a 1994 Ford pickup truck operated by Derrick Jones, 33, of Washington, D.C. turned onto Old Porter Road from Porter Road. The vehicle struck a Norfolk Southern train traveling south on the railroad tracks crossing Old Porter Road, and became lodged under a tank of liquefied petroleum gas. Lodged under the tank, the vehicle traveled south with the train until the train stopped in the area of Wrangle Hill Road (St. Rt. 72).
Jones was transported to Christiana Hospital by State Police helicopter and admitted with non-life-threatening injuries. A passenger in his vehicle was transported to Christiana Hospital by ambulance for treatment for minor injuries. It is not known if Jones and the passenger were properly restrained at the time of the crash.
Jones was charged with driving a vehicle under the under the influence of alcohol, careless driving, disregarding a traffic control device, and expired tags.
HARD-HIT COUNTY MAY RELEASE INMATES IN FACE OF FISCAL CLIFF CUTS
Lane County, Oregon is preparing to release another group of inmates from prison if Washington lawmakers and the president cannot come to an agreement on the fiscal cliff, which seems increasingly to be the case. Lane County already released 30 inmates due to cuts in the budget and reductions in federal subsidies.
The county has become increasingly reliant upon federal “timber payments” to fulfill its budget through the years in compensation for logging areas seized by the federal government. Those subsidies have been reduced over the past several years, leaving the county vulnerable to any further cuts going over the fiscal cliff may trigger:
But there’s another reason why the tax base is low. Fifty-four percent of the land in Lane County belongs to the federal government, which pays no local taxes. The land is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.More
For decades timber sales generated the majority of the county’s general fund, but that changed during the Clinton presidency. Eager to end the timber wars over the spotted owl, President Clinton came up with a plan that essentially pays rural timber counties to not log in the national forests.
Sides React To Clean Water Act Lawsuit Verdict
BERLIN -- When the dust settled after a U.S. District Court judge ruled late last week in favor of a Berlin farm family and Perdue over alleged pollution violations dating back to 2009, parties on both sides reacted in a variety of ways from joy and relief to disdain and angst.
In March 2010, the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, along with the Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) and the Assateague Coastkeeper, filed suit in U.S. District Court against Perdue and Berlin’s Hudson Farm, a contract factory farm operation of about 80,000 birds. The suit was filed after sampling in ditches adjacent to the property allegedly revealed high levels of harmful fecal coliform and E. coli in concentrations that exceed state limits.
After months and months of legal posturing, the case went to trial in October and concluded after 10 days of testimony by both sides. Closing arguments were heard in early December and U.S. District Court Judge William Nickerson reserved final judgment to review the facts. Last Thursday morning, Nickerson issued his ruling in the case, siding in favor of the defendants Alan Hudson and Perdue.
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In March 2010, the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance, along with the Assateague Coastal Trust (ACT) and the Assateague Coastkeeper, filed suit in U.S. District Court against Perdue and Berlin’s Hudson Farm, a contract factory farm operation of about 80,000 birds. The suit was filed after sampling in ditches adjacent to the property allegedly revealed high levels of harmful fecal coliform and E. coli in concentrations that exceed state limits.
After months and months of legal posturing, the case went to trial in October and concluded after 10 days of testimony by both sides. Closing arguments were heard in early December and U.S. District Court Judge William Nickerson reserved final judgment to review the facts. Last Thursday morning, Nickerson issued his ruling in the case, siding in favor of the defendants Alan Hudson and Perdue.
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Missing Dads Not Problem Only In Poor Households
The inner cities, where only 1 in 10 black children live with both parents, and the wealthy suburbs, where many fathers spend more than 60 hours a week on the job, have more in common than meets the eye, family advocates and faith leaders said.
They made the comments Thursday after The Washington Times published an analysis this week of U.S. census data that provoked concern for children from widely disparate camps.
Welfare policies among the poor have put government in the role of the father and equated fatherhood with a monthly check, said Glenn T. Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. This has left many fathers free to walk away from their children knowing they will not starve thanks to programs that provide cash assistance to single mothers in proportion with the number of children they have, he said.
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They made the comments Thursday after The Washington Times published an analysis this week of U.S. census data that provoked concern for children from widely disparate camps.
Welfare policies among the poor have put government in the role of the father and equated fatherhood with a monthly check, said Glenn T. Stanton, director of family formation studies at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. This has left many fathers free to walk away from their children knowing they will not starve thanks to programs that provide cash assistance to single mothers in proportion with the number of children they have, he said.
More
Fiscal Cliff Could Cut Programs Crucial for Mentally Ill
Automatic cuts would slash taxpayer-funded programs
The killing of 27 people in Newtown, Conn., has focused the nation's conversation on the issue of gun control. Legislators have announced they will revisit the federal ban on assault weapons which expired in 2004, while also looking to prohibit high-capacity magazines and to close loopholes that allow buyers to purchase firearms at gun shows without a background check.
However, mental health experts say there is something Congress must do immediately to keep the country safe and it has nothing to do with gun control–avoid the fiscal cliff.
The federal government has already cut public mental health services in the U.S. to the tune of $4 billion over the past five years and closed 4,000 psychiatric beds since 2008.
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The killing of 27 people in Newtown, Conn., has focused the nation's conversation on the issue of gun control. Legislators have announced they will revisit the federal ban on assault weapons which expired in 2004, while also looking to prohibit high-capacity magazines and to close loopholes that allow buyers to purchase firearms at gun shows without a background check.
However, mental health experts say there is something Congress must do immediately to keep the country safe and it has nothing to do with gun control–avoid the fiscal cliff.
The federal government has already cut public mental health services in the U.S. to the tune of $4 billion over the past five years and closed 4,000 psychiatric beds since 2008.
More
HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 12-29-12
The Orphan Trains
The history of the Orphan Trains has largely been forgotten. They began in 1854 and continued until 1929, a period of some 75 years.
The Orphan Trains were begun by Charles Loring Brace. He was a member of a prominent Connecticut family who had gone to New York City to complete his seminary training. In 1853 he founded the Children’s Aid Society to help what were known as “street Arabs”. At the time, there were estimated to be about 30,000 children roaming the streets of New York. He felt that the only way to help them was to get them out of their squalid surroundings and with a good Christian family. He was aided by the New York Foundling Hospital. They were rounded up and put on trains heading for all parts of the country. At every stop they were cleaned up and paraded before the local people in hopes that they would be taken and cared for. Since the country was mainly agrarian, many hands were needed on the farms, no matter how small. Many of the farmers simply looked on them as cheap labor. While I am sure their physical labor was helpful on a farm, some couples who were childless were more than glad to have the opportunity to raise and nurture the little ones. I’m sure whatever their situation turned out to be, it had to be better than living on the streets of New York. However, the process at each stop was similar to a slave auction, with the farmers checking teeth and muscles to see if the child would be an asset to his farm.
Some of the more successful stories that began with the Orphan Trains are that two future governors were products of that system. One became the governor of North Dakota(Andrew Burke) and the other became governor of Alaska (John Brady).
This period of mass relocation of children in the United States is widely recognized as the beginning of documented foster care in America.
During the existence of the Orphan Train Movement, it is thought that about 200,000 children were placed out.
The children in the picture appear well-dressed and the girls all have hats on. The girl on the right even has glasses, though you can just barely see them in this picture. We can only hope these children found good loving homes to go to.
Study Examines Discovery Center
POCOMOKE -- A recent assessment by Salisbury University’s Business, Economic, and Community Outreach Network (BEACON) praised the Delmarva Discovery Center (DDC) in Pocomoke for the educational service it provides to the community. However, BEACON also highlighted some areas where the center should look to evolve, especially in regards to continued funding.
“While it is clear that DDC is an outstanding educational and cultural asset in our community, it is also clear that the organization is experiencing some growing pains,” said Dr. Memo Diriker, director of Beacon. “We believe that the current business model for the DDC will have to be updated so that it can better serve the public and fulfill its mission.”
The report from BEACON found that the DDC struggles most when it comes to locating enough funding and resources to operate and expand. Diriker and his team made a slew of recommendations aimed at addressing these resource shortages. They advised DDC leadership to re-examine how they look at everyday management and the duties of employees, both volunteer and paid. BEACON also recommended that the DDC put more emphasis on volunteer recruitment and retention and fundraising, since community involvement and donations of both time and money are crucial for an organization like the center.
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“While it is clear that DDC is an outstanding educational and cultural asset in our community, it is also clear that the organization is experiencing some growing pains,” said Dr. Memo Diriker, director of Beacon. “We believe that the current business model for the DDC will have to be updated so that it can better serve the public and fulfill its mission.”
The report from BEACON found that the DDC struggles most when it comes to locating enough funding and resources to operate and expand. Diriker and his team made a slew of recommendations aimed at addressing these resource shortages. They advised DDC leadership to re-examine how they look at everyday management and the duties of employees, both volunteer and paid. BEACON also recommended that the DDC put more emphasis on volunteer recruitment and retention and fundraising, since community involvement and donations of both time and money are crucial for an organization like the center.
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Calif. Pharmacy To Pay $11.4M Over Kickback Claims
A San Diego-based specialty pharmaceutical company has agreed to pay about $11.4 million to resolve allegations it used sporting event tickets, spa outings and other kickbacks to induce doctors to write prescriptions for its products, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.
Victory Pharma Inc. agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture of $1.4 million to resolve anti-kickback statute allegations and more than $9.9 million to resolve false-claims allegations in marketing of their pain reliever products Naprelan, Xodol, Fexmid and Dolgic. In return, they avoided criminal and civil liability.
"This resolution underscores the need for physicians to make treatment decisions based on their own independent medical judgment, without being influenced by kickbacks or other improper benefits," said Laura E. Duffy, the U.S. attorney for Southern California.
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Victory Pharma Inc. agreed to pay a criminal forfeiture of $1.4 million to resolve anti-kickback statute allegations and more than $9.9 million to resolve false-claims allegations in marketing of their pain reliever products Naprelan, Xodol, Fexmid and Dolgic. In return, they avoided criminal and civil liability.
"This resolution underscores the need for physicians to make treatment decisions based on their own independent medical judgment, without being influenced by kickbacks or other improper benefits," said Laura E. Duffy, the U.S. attorney for Southern California.
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We Know How To Stop School Shootings
In the wake of a monstrous crime like a madman’s mass murder of defenseless women and children at the Newtown, Conn., elementary school, the nation’s attention is riveted on what could have been done to prevent such a massacre.
Luckily, some years ago, two famed economists, William Landes at the University of Chicago and John Lott at Yale, conducted a massive study of multiple victim public shootings in the United States between 1977 and 1995 to see how various legal changes affected their frequency and death toll.
Landes and Lott examined many of the very policies being proposed right now in response to the Connecticut massacre: waiting periods and background checks for guns, the death penalty and increased penalties for committing a crime with a gun.
None of these policies had any effect on the frequency of, or carnage from, multiple-victim shootings. (I note that they did not look at reforming our lax mental health laws, presumably because the ACLU is working to keep dangerous nuts on the street in all 50 states.)
Only one public policy has ever been shown to reduce the death rate from such crimes: concealed-carry laws.
The effect of concealed-carry laws in deterring mass public shootings was even greater than the impact of such laws on the murder rate generally.
Someone planning to commit a single murder in a concealed-carry state only has to weigh the odds of one person being armed. But a criminal planning to commit murder in a public place has to worry that anyone in the entire area might have a gun.
More
Luckily, some years ago, two famed economists, William Landes at the University of Chicago and John Lott at Yale, conducted a massive study of multiple victim public shootings in the United States between 1977 and 1995 to see how various legal changes affected their frequency and death toll.
Landes and Lott examined many of the very policies being proposed right now in response to the Connecticut massacre: waiting periods and background checks for guns, the death penalty and increased penalties for committing a crime with a gun.
None of these policies had any effect on the frequency of, or carnage from, multiple-victim shootings. (I note that they did not look at reforming our lax mental health laws, presumably because the ACLU is working to keep dangerous nuts on the street in all 50 states.)
Only one public policy has ever been shown to reduce the death rate from such crimes: concealed-carry laws.
The effect of concealed-carry laws in deterring mass public shootings was even greater than the impact of such laws on the murder rate generally.
Someone planning to commit a single murder in a concealed-carry state only has to weigh the odds of one person being armed. But a criminal planning to commit murder in a public place has to worry that anyone in the entire area might have a gun.
More
Friday, December 28, 2012
QUOTES OF THE DAY 12-28-12
“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”
― Harry S. Truman
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures – character.”
― Harry S. Truman
“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.”
― Harry S. Truman
“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.”
― Harry S. Truman
“My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”
― Harry S. Truman
“The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles.”
― Harry S. Truman
“It is ignorance that causes most mistakes.”
― Harry S. Truman
“The most peaceful thing in the world is plowing a field. Chances are you’ll do your best thinking that way. And that’s why I’ve always thought and said, farmers are the smartest people in the world, they don’t go for high hats and they can spot a phony a mile off.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive. And don’t ever apologize for anything.”
― Harry S. Truman
“I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty-seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo.”
― Harry S. Truman
― Harry S. Truman
“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings, those who cheer today may curse tomorrow and only one thing endures – character.”
― Harry S. Truman
“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.”
― Harry S. Truman
“I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Never kick a fresh turd on a hot day.”
― Harry S. Truman
“My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there’s hardly any difference.”
― Harry S. Truman
“The fundamental basis of this nation’s laws was given to Moses on the Mount…If we don’t have a proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles.”
― Harry S. Truman
“It is ignorance that causes most mistakes.”
― Harry S. Truman
“The most peaceful thing in the world is plowing a field. Chances are you’ll do your best thinking that way. And that’s why I’ve always thought and said, farmers are the smartest people in the world, they don’t go for high hats and they can spot a phony a mile off.”
― Harry S. Truman
“Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive. And don’t ever apologize for anything.”
― Harry S. Truman
“I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty-seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo.”
― Harry S. Truman
Chicago Sued For Alleged Discrimination Against Black Teachers
The Chicago Teachers Union has sued the nation's third largest school district, saying Mayor Rahm Emanuel's campaign to reform or close underperforming public schoolsdiscriminates against African-American teachers and staff.
The federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday and announced on Thursday is the latest battle with the city since teachers staged a week-long strike in September. It alleges that more than half of the tenured teachers fired in the most recent round of school closings and turnarounds were African American.
But blacks make up less than 30 percent of the tenured teaching staff in the district and 35 percent of the tenured teacher population in the failing schools, the lawsuit claims.
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The federal lawsuit filed on Wednesday and announced on Thursday is the latest battle with the city since teachers staged a week-long strike in September. It alleges that more than half of the tenured teachers fired in the most recent round of school closings and turnarounds were African American.
But blacks make up less than 30 percent of the tenured teaching staff in the district and 35 percent of the tenured teacher population in the failing schools, the lawsuit claims.
More
Top Ammo Supplier Sells 3 1/2 Years Worth Of Assault Rifle Magazines In 72 Hours
Firearm accessories supplier Brownells says that it's experiencing "unprecedented" sales of magazines.
Brownells has sold 3 1/2 years worth of PMAG magazines in just 72 hours, according to a statement posted from the company's official account on gun owner forum AR-15.com.
It also says that it has sold "an even greater amount" of its own Brownells magazines.
Brownells has sold 3 1/2 years worth of PMAG magazines in just 72 hours, according to a statement posted from the company's official account on gun owner forum AR-15.com.
It also says that it has sold "an even greater amount" of its own Brownells magazines.
Gas Prices & Quality
OK, get this. We only burned just over 1/4 of a tank coming back!!!! Now where did that extra HALF A TANK go? Not only do gas prices stink here on the Shore, the quality of gas stinks as well! Driving Rt. 13 south to the Bay Bridge Tunnel is not all up hill and the ride home all down hill. Also, I used the cruise control both ways to avoid any tickets, so my speed was the same both ways.
I even heard today the gas prices on the Western Shore are a lot lower there then they are here. What gives?
JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR DENIES HOBBY LOBBY REQUEST ON HHS MANDATE
The war on religious liberty continues. Despite repeated promises from President Barack Obama and his allies that they would not use Obamacare to force people to violate their religious beliefs regarding abortion, Obama handpicked an abortion-hardliner as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Kathleen Sebelius.
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Professor: Don't Be Surprised If There's A War Between Japan And China In The Next Year
Chinese planes flew near Japanese airspace Monday to assert its claims to Japan's Senkaku islands (China calls them the Diaoyu islands).
The move came just as Japan announced its new prime minister.
Hugh White, a professor at Australian National University and a former Australian defense official, believes this is the latest sign the two countries are heading to war.
And the U.S. will be dragged in.
The move came just as Japan announced its new prime minister.
Hugh White, a professor at Australian National University and a former Australian defense official, believes this is the latest sign the two countries are heading to war.
And the U.S. will be dragged in.
Obama’s Regulatory Cliff Draws Near
Many Americans believe the biggest problem the nation currently faces is the so-called fiscal cliff. Unfortunately, the fiscal cliff is nothing compared to the avalanche of new regulations that will be coming in 2013. That Americans remain unaware of this ominous development is understandable. The most transparent administration in history ignored the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and a subsequent series of executive orders that require the semi-annual release of all regulations under development or review by some 60 departments, agencies, and commissions. Thus, the April 2012 and October 2012 deadlines came and went without compliance. Now that the election is over, Americans will discover just how all-encompassing Obama and his big-government zealots intend to be.
The scope is staggering. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the overall regulatory burden has reached $1.8 trillion annually, and $215.4 billion in compliance costs have been added in 2012 alone. The OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website reveals that 4,100 new regulations are in the pipeline, with more than 400 aimed at small businesses, whose compliance costs will exceed those of their larger competitors by 36 percent.
More
The scope is staggering. According to the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the overall regulatory burden has reached $1.8 trillion annually, and $215.4 billion in compliance costs have been added in 2012 alone. The OMB’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website reveals that 4,100 new regulations are in the pipeline, with more than 400 aimed at small businesses, whose compliance costs will exceed those of their larger competitors by 36 percent.
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The Reason Liberals Want To Raise Taxes On The Rich Has Nothing To Do With The Deficit
A common argument you hear from conservatives is that raising taxes on the rich is a joke of a deficit reduction proposal, because it hardly makes a dent in the deficit.
According to CNBC, reverting to Clinton-era levels would just get you about $40-$45 billion in the first year.
GOP Congressman Tom Price has gotten a lot of attention for saying it would only fund government for 8 days... so what's the point?
So what is the point?
Well, it's not really about deficit reduction at all.
According to CNBC, reverting to Clinton-era levels would just get you about $40-$45 billion in the first year.
GOP Congressman Tom Price has gotten a lot of attention for saying it would only fund government for 8 days... so what's the point?
So what is the point?
Well, it's not really about deficit reduction at all.
Maryland Live! Now Pulling All-Nighters
Gamblers, some delighting in hot machines, others chasing their losses, would head with reluctance toward the exits.
No longer. The casino at Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover began 24-hour operations Thursday morning.
Now, Maryland Live! is open all day, every day.
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What Happened When Guns Banned In Australia
After Australia banned and confiscated guns from their citizens,
promising them safety in return for their weapons, violent crime
dramatically increased:
Armed robbery +69%
Assault with guns +28%
Gun murders +19%
Home invasions +21%
Americans should never relinquish their weapons. The right to bear arms as written in theSecond Amendment has three main purposes:
to allow our citizens to protect themselves, their families, and their property to allow our citizens to protect themselves from a tyrannical government to allow our citizens to resist foreign attack/invasion
promising them safety in return for their weapons, violent crime
dramatically increased:
Armed robbery +69%
Assault with guns +28%
Gun murders +19%
Home invasions +21%
Americans should never relinquish their weapons. The right to bear arms as written in theSecond Amendment has three main purposes:
to allow our citizens to protect themselves, their families, and their property to allow our citizens to protect themselves from a tyrannical government to allow our citizens to resist foreign attack/invasion
New ID Theft Law To Take Effect
The child identity theft law, which is the first of its kind in the nation, will allow parents to freeze their child's credit any time. Credit agencies have been required to place a security freeze on the credit of anyone who requests it. But they have been able to refuse to lock the credit of those who do not have a pre-existing credit report. That has presented problems for children, because if they have a credit report they likely already are a victim of fraud.
Delegate Craig Zucker, a Montgomery County Democrat who sponsored the bill this year, noted that it also will benefit elderly and developmentally disabled residents who could become victims of identity theft.
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MAJOR SETBACK FOR PLANNED PARENTHOOD: JUDGE SAYS OKLAHOMA CAN END CONTRACT WITH CLINICS
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A federal judge on Monday denied a request by Planned Parenthood to temporarily block Oklahoma from terminating a contract with the agency to provide nutritional services to low-income mothers.
U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot ruled that although the state’s stated reasons don’t seem to be sufficient cause for ending agreements with Planned Parenthood’s three Tulsa-area clinics that have been in place for 18 years, the group’s response to the state’s concerns was insufficient enough to warrant ending the relationship.
The decision will likely mean that the group will have to close one of the clinics and eliminate six full-time staff positions when the contracts end on Dec. 31, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s President and CEO Jill June said in a statement.
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U.S. District Judge Stephen Friot ruled that although the state’s stated reasons don’t seem to be sufficient cause for ending agreements with Planned Parenthood’s three Tulsa-area clinics that have been in place for 18 years, the group’s response to the state’s concerns was insufficient enough to warrant ending the relationship.
The decision will likely mean that the group will have to close one of the clinics and eliminate six full-time staff positions when the contracts end on Dec. 31, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s President and CEO Jill June said in a statement.
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Business Owners Team Up For VW Bus Drop
Unsatisfied with a traditional ball-drop to ring in the New Year, Oasis Bar and Grill in Whaleyville will be teaming up with Shorebilly Brewing to lower a holiday-themed Volkswagen bus from the sky on Dec. 31.
According to Oasis owner Bobby Riccio, his bar organizes a New Year’s Eve celebration every winter and has finally decided to do something that will make the event an extremely memorable one. There will be no cover for the bus drop, live entertainment, a champagne toast, and a special brew from Shorebilly to commemorate the night. The bus will be lowered by crane, this year from Aerial Crane Company from Parsonsburg.
“We’ll do this every year,” promised Riccio. “It’ll be a big cross-promotion.”
More
According to Oasis owner Bobby Riccio, his bar organizes a New Year’s Eve celebration every winter and has finally decided to do something that will make the event an extremely memorable one. There will be no cover for the bus drop, live entertainment, a champagne toast, and a special brew from Shorebilly to commemorate the night. The bus will be lowered by crane, this year from Aerial Crane Company from Parsonsburg.
“We’ll do this every year,” promised Riccio. “It’ll be a big cross-promotion.”
More
Obama’s Hidden-Tax Heist
How is it possible that the government can spend almost twice as much as it takes in without having high inflation? The fact is that over a long period of time, it can’t. In the short run, which can be a few years, the government can paper over its fiscal irresponsibility by expropriating most of the productivity gains in the private sector through regulatory and central bank actions. This is precisely what has been happening in the United States.
The reason real, after-tax, per capita incomes have been able to increase year by year for most Americans for the past two centuries is that productivity has been growing — that is, the amount of goods each worker produces per hour has risen steadily. The reason productivity rises is that workers tend to be better trained, the amount of productive capital per worker rises, and there is a steady flow of innovation, which reduces costs and improves goods and services.
To understand productivity growth, look at the advances of farm and construction machinery — which enable one worker to do more, better and with greater safety. Wal-Mart, Amazon and FedEx have made amazing developments in reducing distribution costs by instituting better equipment and systems. Magnify these individual company and industry gains throughout the economy, and the result is a steady national gain in worker productivity.
The reason real, after-tax, per capita incomes have been able to increase year by year for most Americans for the past two centuries is that productivity has been growing — that is, the amount of goods each worker produces per hour has risen steadily. The reason productivity rises is that workers tend to be better trained, the amount of productive capital per worker rises, and there is a steady flow of innovation, which reduces costs and improves goods and services.
To understand productivity growth, look at the advances of farm and construction machinery — which enable one worker to do more, better and with greater safety. Wal-Mart, Amazon and FedEx have made amazing developments in reducing distribution costs by instituting better equipment and systems. Magnify these individual company and industry gains throughout the economy, and the result is a steady national gain in worker productivity.
30-DAY CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR LONGSHOREMEN
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 28, 2012) – Governor Martin O’Malley released this statement following the agreement today to extend the longshoremen’s contract for 30 days:
“I'd like to commend today’s decision by the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance to extend their negotiations by 30 days to produce a new master labor agreement for ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.
“The Port of Baltimore continues to be a major part of our State’s economic strength, generating and supporting thousands of jobs. During this extended period, we hope that a long-term resolution can be reached for the well-being of Maryland's hardworking families who depend on jobs and commerce linked to the Port of Baltimore.”
“I'd like to commend today’s decision by the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance to extend their negotiations by 30 days to produce a new master labor agreement for ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.
“The Port of Baltimore continues to be a major part of our State’s economic strength, generating and supporting thousands of jobs. During this extended period, we hope that a long-term resolution can be reached for the well-being of Maryland's hardworking families who depend on jobs and commerce linked to the Port of Baltimore.”
Gambling Lobbyists Top Spenders In State
The State Ethics Commission has released a list of employers who spent $50,000 or more between May and Oct. 31.
Buildings Trades for National Harbor Inc., spent about $2.7 million. That's the most on the list. The group lobbied on legislation to allow a casino in Prince George's County.
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Born To Die So That You Might Live
Luke 2:12
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
You are probably familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The Bible says that when the time had come, Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger”. (Luke 2:6–7) But have you ever wondered why the angel told the shepherds that the Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger was a “sign”?
A manger is actually a feeding trough for livestock. Do you know what a feeding trough in those days looks like? I have seen a similar one at Solomon’s stables in Meggido, Israel. It is basically a big rectangular block of stone with the trough hewn out of it. So baby Jesus, who was wrapped in swaddling cloths, was placed in such a stone trough.
But why was that a sign? Because if you have seen the empty tomb of Jesus at a place called The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, you would have noticed that the place where His body was laid, inside a tomb hewn out of rock, resembles a stone trough. The Bible says that after Jesus’ crucifixion and death, Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb hewn out of a rock. (Mark 15:43–46)
Can you see the similarities? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, baby Jesus would one day be wrapped in linen and laid in a tomb. That was the sign the angel was referring to. It pointed to Jesus’ death.
Jesus was the only child in all of humanity born to die. Once you realize that, you will realize how much God loves you. You will realize that He gave up His Son for that one purpose, and that His Son willingly came for that one purpose — to die for your sins and mine.
Beloved, can you imagine living your life knowing that you are just qualifying yourself to die on the cross to save the world? That was the life that Jesus lived. He lived to die, so that we might live and enjoy life abundantly today!
12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
You are probably familiar with the story of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The Bible says that when the time had come, Mary “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger”. (Luke 2:6–7) But have you ever wondered why the angel told the shepherds that the Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger was a “sign”?
A manger is actually a feeding trough for livestock. Do you know what a feeding trough in those days looks like? I have seen a similar one at Solomon’s stables in Meggido, Israel. It is basically a big rectangular block of stone with the trough hewn out of it. So baby Jesus, who was wrapped in swaddling cloths, was placed in such a stone trough.
But why was that a sign? Because if you have seen the empty tomb of Jesus at a place called The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem, you would have noticed that the place where His body was laid, inside a tomb hewn out of rock, resembles a stone trough. The Bible says that after Jesus’ crucifixion and death, Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus’ body, wrapped it in linen and laid it in a tomb hewn out of a rock. (Mark 15:43–46)
Can you see the similarities? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, baby Jesus would one day be wrapped in linen and laid in a tomb. That was the sign the angel was referring to. It pointed to Jesus’ death.
Jesus was the only child in all of humanity born to die. Once you realize that, you will realize how much God loves you. You will realize that He gave up His Son for that one purpose, and that His Son willingly came for that one purpose — to die for your sins and mine.
Beloved, can you imagine living your life knowing that you are just qualifying yourself to die on the cross to save the world? That was the life that Jesus lived. He lived to die, so that we might live and enjoy life abundantly today!
Dakota
Joe,
She has been spotted in Tamarac Village this morning... Yesterday morning she was by church st and the morning before by secu bank. Ur website had been amazing! Can I ask you to please repost the info to keep it fresh with the updates !!
Contract Extension Averts Port Strike
Dockworkers union agrees to 30-day contract extension, for now averting a strike that threatened to shut down East Coast, Gulf ports.
Russian Adoptee Fighting Russian Government
The law would block dozens of Russian children expected to be adopted by American families from leaving the country and cut off one of the main international routes for Russian children to leave often dismal orphanages. Russia is the single biggest source of adopted children in the U.S., with more than 60,000 Russian children being taken in by Americans over the past two decades.
The bill is retaliation for an American law that calls for sanctions against Russians deemed to be human rights violators and part of an increasingly confrontational stance by the Kremlin against the West.
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Dec Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index
The December Richmond Fed Manufacturing Index is out and it's a miss.
The headline number fell to 5 from 9 in November. Economists were looking for a reading of 8.
"Looking at the broad indicators of activity, new orders were virtually unchanged, shipments grew more slowly, and employment declined," wrote the Richmond Fed. "Other indicators were mixed. Capacity
utilization turned positive, while backlogs fell further. Moreover, the gauge for delivery times inched higher, while finished goods inventories grew at a slightly slower pace and growth in raw materials inventories edged higher."
The survey tracks manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region of the U.S.
The headline number fell to 5 from 9 in November. Economists were looking for a reading of 8.
"Looking at the broad indicators of activity, new orders were virtually unchanged, shipments grew more slowly, and employment declined," wrote the Richmond Fed. "Other indicators were mixed. Capacity
utilization turned positive, while backlogs fell further. Moreover, the gauge for delivery times inched higher, while finished goods inventories grew at a slightly slower pace and growth in raw materials inventories edged higher."The survey tracks manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region of the U.S.
Security Tech Company To Lay Off 25
Sotera Defense Solutions Inc., a national security technology company in Frederick, will lay off 25 employees effective Monday.
The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations received Sotera's Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice about the layoffs in October, spokeswoman Maureen O'Connor said.
WARN offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs. Plant closings and mass layoffs trigger WARN notices, the DLLR said.
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The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations received Sotera's Work Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice about the layoffs in October, spokeswoman Maureen O'Connor said.
WARN offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs. Plant closings and mass layoffs trigger WARN notices, the DLLR said.
More
China Proposes Full Name Registration For Every User To Make Its Internet "Healthier, More Cultured And Safer"
With various "gun control" proposals flying fast and furious (precisely the reactionary kneejerk reaction Ron Paul warned would happen [11]), some of which as brilliant as RFIDing every gun in existence, supposedly including the tens of millions of illegal and unregistered ones, it is perhaps appropriate to see how another authoritarian government - China - deals with its own equivalent of the touchy Second Amendment, its "First", or the right to free speech in a society which for decades has had none, and where the internet makes free speech regulation impossible (very much any gun control in a nation in which there is one gun for every person is impossible). China's solution, according to Reuters [12], the requirement of a real name registration for internet access for every person, "extending a policy already in force with microblogs in a bid to curb what officials call rumors and vulgarity...A law being discussed this week would mean people would have to present their government-issued identity cards when signing contracts for fixed line and mobile internet access, state-run newspapers said."
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Man Dies Of Hypothermia In Frederick Co.
Maryland health officials reported the first hypothermia-related death of the winter Thursday.
The man died in Frederick County and was at least 65 years old. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of his death during the past week.
State health officials released no other details.
Fifteen hypothermia-related deaths were reported last winter. One death had been reported by this time in December 2011, according to the medical examiner's office.
With winds gusting Thursday and another round of snow headed for the region this weekend, health officials remind Marylanders to bundle up before heading outside.
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The man died in Frederick County and was at least 65 years old. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of his death during the past week.
State health officials released no other details.
Fifteen hypothermia-related deaths were reported last winter. One death had been reported by this time in December 2011, according to the medical examiner's office.
With winds gusting Thursday and another round of snow headed for the region this weekend, health officials remind Marylanders to bundle up before heading outside.
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DESCENT INTO LAWLESSNESS
The “fiscal cliff” is a myth.
Instead, what we are facing is a descent into lawlessness.
Wikipedia notes:
In many situations, austerity programs are imposed on countries that were previously under dictatorial regimes, leading to criticism that populations are forced to repay the debts of their oppressors.
Indeed, the IMF has already performed a complete audit of the whole US financial system, something which they have only previously done to broke third world nations.
Economist Marc Faber calls the U.S. a “failed state“. Indeed, we no longer have a free market economy … we have fascism, communist style socialism, kleptocracy, oligarchy or banana republic style corruption.
Let’s look at some specific examples of our descent into lawlessness.
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Instead, what we are facing is a descent into lawlessness.
Wikipedia notes:
In many situations, austerity programs are imposed on countries that were previously under dictatorial regimes, leading to criticism that populations are forced to repay the debts of their oppressors.
Indeed, the IMF has already performed a complete audit of the whole US financial system, something which they have only previously done to broke third world nations.
Economist Marc Faber calls the U.S. a “failed state“. Indeed, we no longer have a free market economy … we have fascism, communist style socialism, kleptocracy, oligarchy or banana republic style corruption.
Let’s look at some specific examples of our descent into lawlessness.
More
'Crooked Beat Records' Bucks Industry Trend With Vinyl Success
“When we decided to go into vinyl years ago,” Daly, 48, says while sorting records at his Adams Morgan shop, “I remember sales reps from distributors saying, ‘You’re crazy – you’re going to be out of business within a year if you do that.”
After all, all the big ones went belly up. Peaches. Tower Records. Tracks. And on and on. Same for the smaller chains and many independently owned shops.
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AGENDA 21
Agenda 21 Is Being Rammed Down The Throats Of Local Communities All Over America
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/agenda-21-is-being-rammed-down-the-throats-of-local-communities-all-over-america
Have you ever heard of Agenda 21? If not, don’t feel bad, because most Americans haven’t. It is essentially a blueprint for a “sustainable world” that was introduced at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Since then, it has been adopted by more than 200 counties and it has been modified and updated at other UN environmental summits. The philosophy behind Agenda 21 is that our environmental problems are the number one problem that we are facing, and that those problems are being caused by human activity. Therefore, according to Agenda 21 human activity needs to be tightly monitored, regulated and controlled for the greater good. Individual liberties and freedoms must be sacrificed for the good of the planet. If you are thinking that this sounds like it is exactly the opposite of what our founding fathers intended when they established this nation, you would be on the right track. Those that promote the philosophy underlying Agenda 21 believe that human activity must be “managed” and that letting people make their own decisions is “destructive” and “dangerous”. Sadly, the principles behind Agenda 21 are being rammed down the throats of local communities all over America, and most of the people living in those communities don’t even realize it.
So how is this being done? Well, after Agenda 21 was adopted, an international organization known as the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” (ICLEI) was established to help implement the goals of Agenda 21 in local communities. One thing that they learned very quickly was that the “Agenda 21″ label was a red flag for a lot of people. It tended to create quite a bit of opposition on the local level.
More
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/agenda-21-is-being-rammed-down-the-throats-of-local-communities-all-over-america
Have you ever heard of Agenda 21? If not, don’t feel bad, because most Americans haven’t. It is essentially a blueprint for a “sustainable world” that was introduced at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. Since then, it has been adopted by more than 200 counties and it has been modified and updated at other UN environmental summits. The philosophy behind Agenda 21 is that our environmental problems are the number one problem that we are facing, and that those problems are being caused by human activity. Therefore, according to Agenda 21 human activity needs to be tightly monitored, regulated and controlled for the greater good. Individual liberties and freedoms must be sacrificed for the good of the planet. If you are thinking that this sounds like it is exactly the opposite of what our founding fathers intended when they established this nation, you would be on the right track. Those that promote the philosophy underlying Agenda 21 believe that human activity must be “managed” and that letting people make their own decisions is “destructive” and “dangerous”. Sadly, the principles behind Agenda 21 are being rammed down the throats of local communities all over America, and most of the people living in those communities don’t even realize it.
So how is this being done? Well, after Agenda 21 was adopted, an international organization known as the “International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives” (ICLEI) was established to help implement the goals of Agenda 21 in local communities. One thing that they learned very quickly was that the “Agenda 21″ label was a red flag for a lot of people. It tended to create quite a bit of opposition on the local level.
More
Whirled Beat
"Whirled Beat". Boy (age 10) enjoys exploring the undiscovered, percussive sounds of household appliances. He also owns a Pearl drum kit, has been taking lessons for over a year, but is mainly self-taught in general percussion. His main inspirations are Neil Peart and Buddy Rich.
Public Landing Development - Building Lots
While touring the landscape - my wife and I recently visited Public Landing. Since it had been a few years since our last visit - I was astonished to see that a waterview development of Chincoteague Bay - Equestrian Shores - whereby the property prices were signficantly discounted. If my recollection is correct, these same lots asking price were in excess of 100k just a few years ago. Take-a-look at the reduced prices - and still there is no new construction presently going on in this development. As one can easily see - our local housing industry has not gotton any better, but much worse.
GOP Senators Won’t Confirm Kerry Until Clinton Testifies on Benghazi
“The Senate is expected to take up Kerry’s nomination in early January, but multiple Republican senators have already said they won’t agree to a vote on Kerry’s nomination until Clinton testifies about the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi,” The Cable’s Josh Rogin notes.
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BIG BROTHER WATCHING YOUR EMAIL
Congress, at Last Minute, Drops Requirement to Obtain Warrant to Monitor Email
The federal government will continue to access Americans’ emails without a warrant, after the U.S. Senate dropped a key amendment to legislation now headed to the White House for approval.
Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an amendment attached to the Video Privacy Protection Act Amendments Act (which deals with publishing users’ Netflix information on Facebook pages) that would have required federal law enforcement to obtain a warrant before monitoring email or other data stored remotely (i.e., the cloud).
The Senate was set to approve the video privacy bill along with the email amendment, which would have applied to a different law, the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act. But then senators decided for reasons unknown to drop the amendment.
Currently, the government can collect emails and other cloud data without a warrant as long as the content has been stored on a third-party server for 180 days or more. Federal agents need only demonstrate that they have “reasonable grounds to believe” the information would be useful in an investigation.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Source
The federal government will continue to access Americans’ emails without a warrant, after the U.S. Senate dropped a key amendment to legislation now headed to the White House for approval.
Last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an amendment attached to the Video Privacy Protection Act Amendments Act (which deals with publishing users’ Netflix information on Facebook pages) that would have required federal law enforcement to obtain a warrant before monitoring email or other data stored remotely (i.e., the cloud).
The Senate was set to approve the video privacy bill along with the email amendment, which would have applied to a different law, the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act. But then senators decided for reasons unknown to drop the amendment.
Currently, the government can collect emails and other cloud data without a warrant as long as the content has been stored on a third-party server for 180 days or more. Federal agents need only demonstrate that they have “reasonable grounds to believe” the information would be useful in an investigation.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Source
MCCONNELL CALLS OUT OBAMA'S NEGOTIATION CHARADE
The office of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) responded to reports today that President Barack Obama called him and other congressional leaders to receive updates about negotiations to avoid the Jan. 1 "fiscal cliff" by noting that it was the "first time McConnell has heard from any Democrat, including the President, on this since Thanksgiving."
The President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made a show of returning to Washington this week, as if to continue negotiations--when their open opposition to Speaker of the House John Boehner's "Plan B" last week helped doom that plan to defeat in the Republican caucus. House members were reluctant to vote for "Plan B" to begin with, since it would have raised some tax rates; the certainty that it would fail in the Senate made them even less enthusiastic.
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The President and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made a show of returning to Washington this week, as if to continue negotiations--when their open opposition to Speaker of the House John Boehner's "Plan B" last week helped doom that plan to defeat in the Republican caucus. House members were reluctant to vote for "Plan B" to begin with, since it would have raised some tax rates; the certainty that it would fail in the Senate made them even less enthusiastic.
More
Maryland Gay Marriage: Some St. Mary's County Clerks To Stop Performing Marriages
Joan Williams is clerk of the St. Mary's Circuit Court. She tells The Washington Examiner that some of her employees are opposed to gay marriage for religious reasons. As a result, she decided those deputy clerks won't perform any marriages. She says it's a way of respecting their beliefs.
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The Sleeper Must Awaken
“Above the comforts of Base Camp, the expedition in fact became an almost Calvinistic undertaking. The ratio of misery to pleasure was greater by an order of magnitude than any mountain I'd been on; I quickly came to understand that climbing Everest was primarily about enduring pain. And in subjecting ourselves to week after week of toil, tedium and suffering, it struck me that most of us were probably seeking above all else, something like a state of grace.”
-Jon Krakhauer, Into Thin Air
I am not sure the country is seeking a state of grace but we are surely seeking something of a much higher order than we are getting. Congress adjourns, the President spends twenty million dollars of our money flying off to vacation in Hawaii and we peer over the edge of a monetary cliff of our own making because we have elected people that have all of the leadership skills of some Grinch that is stealing our Christmas because we let him. Ultimately it is us you know, “We the People,” and perhaps it is our two party system of government that has failed us because we put people in power who know how to run for election and re-election but who somehow have no idea how to govern the nation. It is pathos, absurdity and frankly a tragedy that we face a financial calamity, and it is just that, and our elected leaders head off on vacation.
"Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us."
-William Shakespeare, Henry IV
It may not be fiddling while Rome is burning but it isn’t that far off that course. In the end, I suspect, we will pass the deadlines and find ourselves in trouble. I say this because to date all we are discussing is who to tax and we have not made one serious effort to confront the social programs that have elected people but which the country cannot afford. It is not that complicated at its core; we cannot afford the entitlements that we have legislated and so the nation must, like any household, man up to what we can and cannot afford and get on with it. No use pretending that we are as rich as we once were and so we must first cut-back and then get down to the serious business of how we can increase our revenues. Households, corporations or governments; the fundamental issues apply and while different themes may apply for the fix; America’s economic condition must be fixed.
"The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population -- the intelligent ones or the fools? I think we can agree it's the fools, no matter where you go in this world, it's the fools that form the overwhelming majority."
-Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People
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-Jon Krakhauer, Into Thin Air
I am not sure the country is seeking a state of grace but we are surely seeking something of a much higher order than we are getting. Congress adjourns, the President spends twenty million dollars of our money flying off to vacation in Hawaii and we peer over the edge of a monetary cliff of our own making because we have elected people that have all of the leadership skills of some Grinch that is stealing our Christmas because we let him. Ultimately it is us you know, “We the People,” and perhaps it is our two party system of government that has failed us because we put people in power who know how to run for election and re-election but who somehow have no idea how to govern the nation. It is pathos, absurdity and frankly a tragedy that we face a financial calamity, and it is just that, and our elected leaders head off on vacation.
"Well, thus we play the fools with the time, and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us."
-William Shakespeare, Henry IV
It may not be fiddling while Rome is burning but it isn’t that far off that course. In the end, I suspect, we will pass the deadlines and find ourselves in trouble. I say this because to date all we are discussing is who to tax and we have not made one serious effort to confront the social programs that have elected people but which the country cannot afford. It is not that complicated at its core; we cannot afford the entitlements that we have legislated and so the nation must, like any household, man up to what we can and cannot afford and get on with it. No use pretending that we are as rich as we once were and so we must first cut-back and then get down to the serious business of how we can increase our revenues. Households, corporations or governments; the fundamental issues apply and while different themes may apply for the fix; America’s economic condition must be fixed.
"The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population -- the intelligent ones or the fools? I think we can agree it's the fools, no matter where you go in this world, it's the fools that form the overwhelming majority."
-Henrik Ibsen, An Enemy of the People
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Soft-Shell Crab Could Be Md.'s Official Sandwich
A pre-filed bill in the Maryland General Assembly would make soft-shell crab the official Maryland sandwich.
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Feds Fail To Implement Fixes That Could Save Billions
The next time you hear government officials insist they're doing all they can to save federal money or ensure safety, consider this: the U.S. Transportation Department has yet to complete more than 600 action items, some dating back to 2004, that were recommended by its internal watchdog to help protect taxpayers.
That eye-popping statistic is contained in a little-noticed letter that DOT Inspector General Calvin L. Scovell III sent to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform over the Christmas holidays.
The "open recommendations" -- as they are called in bureaucratic parlance -- are fixes identified by the inspector general to improve safety or prevent hundreds of millions of dollars of future waste, fraud and abuse that have not been fully implemented and documented, or have been outright rejected by federal agencies.
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That eye-popping statistic is contained in a little-noticed letter that DOT Inspector General Calvin L. Scovell III sent to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform over the Christmas holidays.
The "open recommendations" -- as they are called in bureaucratic parlance -- are fixes identified by the inspector general to improve safety or prevent hundreds of millions of dollars of future waste, fraud and abuse that have not been fully implemented and documented, or have been outright rejected by federal agencies.
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Ron Paul: Government Security Is Just Another Kind Of Violence
The senseless and horrific killings last week in Newtown, Connecticut reminded us that a determined individual or group of individuals can cause great harm no matter what laws are in place. Connecticut already has restrictive gun laws relative to other states, including restrictions on fully automatic, so-called “assault” rifles and gun-free zones.
Predictably, the political left responded to the tragedy with emotional calls for increased gun control. This is understandable, but misguided. The impulse to have government “do something” to protect us in the wake national tragedies is reflexive and often well intentioned. Many Americans believe that if we simply pass the right laws, future horrors like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting can be prevented. But this impulse ignores the self evident truth that criminals don't obey laws.
The political right, unfortunately, has fallen into the same trap in its calls for quick legislative solutions to gun violence. If only we put armed police or armed teachers in schools, we’re told, would-be school shooters will be dissuaded or stopped.
While I certainly agree that more guns equals less crime [4] and that private gun ownership prevents many shootings [5], I don’t agree that conservatives and libertarians should view government legislation, especially at the federal level, as the solution to violence. Real change can happen only when we commit ourselves to rebuilding civil society in America, meaning a society based on family, religion, civic and social institutions, and peaceful cooperation through markets. We cannot reverse decades of moral and intellectual decline by snapping our fingers and passing laws.
Let’s not forget that our own government policies often undermine civil society, cheapen life, and encourage immorality. The president and other government officials denounce school violence, yet still advocate for endless undeclared wars abroad and easy abortion at home. U.S. drone strikes kill thousands, but nobody in America holds vigils or devotes much news coverage to those victims, many of which are children, albeit, of a different color.
Obviously I don’t want to conflate complex issues of foreign policy and war with the Sandy Hook shooting, but it is important to make the broader point that our federal government has zero moral authority to legislate against violence.
Furthermore, do we really want to live in a world of police checkpoints, surveillance cameras, metal detectors, X-ray scanners, and warrantless physical searches [6]? We see this culture in our airports: witness the shabby spectacle of once proud, happy Americans shuffling through long lines while uniformed TSA agents bark orders. This is the world of government provided "security," a world far too many Americans now seem to accept or even endorse. School shootings, no matter how horrific, do not justify creating an Orwellian surveillance state in America.
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Predictably, the political left responded to the tragedy with emotional calls for increased gun control. This is understandable, but misguided. The impulse to have government “do something” to protect us in the wake national tragedies is reflexive and often well intentioned. Many Americans believe that if we simply pass the right laws, future horrors like the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting can be prevented. But this impulse ignores the self evident truth that criminals don't obey laws.
The political right, unfortunately, has fallen into the same trap in its calls for quick legislative solutions to gun violence. If only we put armed police or armed teachers in schools, we’re told, would-be school shooters will be dissuaded or stopped.
While I certainly agree that more guns equals less crime [4] and that private gun ownership prevents many shootings [5], I don’t agree that conservatives and libertarians should view government legislation, especially at the federal level, as the solution to violence. Real change can happen only when we commit ourselves to rebuilding civil society in America, meaning a society based on family, religion, civic and social institutions, and peaceful cooperation through markets. We cannot reverse decades of moral and intellectual decline by snapping our fingers and passing laws.
Let’s not forget that our own government policies often undermine civil society, cheapen life, and encourage immorality. The president and other government officials denounce school violence, yet still advocate for endless undeclared wars abroad and easy abortion at home. U.S. drone strikes kill thousands, but nobody in America holds vigils or devotes much news coverage to those victims, many of which are children, albeit, of a different color.
Obviously I don’t want to conflate complex issues of foreign policy and war with the Sandy Hook shooting, but it is important to make the broader point that our federal government has zero moral authority to legislate against violence.
Furthermore, do we really want to live in a world of police checkpoints, surveillance cameras, metal detectors, X-ray scanners, and warrantless physical searches [6]? We see this culture in our airports: witness the shabby spectacle of once proud, happy Americans shuffling through long lines while uniformed TSA agents bark orders. This is the world of government provided "security," a world far too many Americans now seem to accept or even endorse. School shootings, no matter how horrific, do not justify creating an Orwellian surveillance state in America.
More
Charity Begins With Wealth Creation
Charity — helping people who have trouble helping themselves — is a good thing two times over. It’s good for the beneficiary and good for the donor, too. Stephen Post’s fine book, “The Hidden Gifts of Helping,” reveals that 76 percent of Americans say that helping others is what makes them most happy. Giving money makes us feel good, and helping face-to-face is even better. People say it makes them feel physically healthier. They sleep better.
Private charity is unquestioningly better than government efforts to help people. Government squanders money. Charities sometime squander money, too, but they usually don’t.
Proof of the superiority of private over government efforts is everywhere. Catholic charities do a better job educating children than government — for much less money. New York City’s government left Central Park a dangerous mess. Then a private charity rescued it. But while charity is important, let’s not overlook something more important: Before we can help anyone, we first need something to give. Production precedes donation. Advocates of big government forget this.
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Private charity is unquestioningly better than government efforts to help people. Government squanders money. Charities sometime squander money, too, but they usually don’t.
Proof of the superiority of private over government efforts is everywhere. Catholic charities do a better job educating children than government — for much less money. New York City’s government left Central Park a dangerous mess. Then a private charity rescued it. But while charity is important, let’s not overlook something more important: Before we can help anyone, we first need something to give. Production precedes donation. Advocates of big government forget this.
More
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